Jerome Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 Hi I was in a nightclub the other night (as some students are on holidays) and I saw a guy running the rig of ROBE profiles and Washes off of a keyboard. Ive seen it done before but always puzzled me slightly how it worked. I didn't ask him what he was using as he seemed slightly busy and I was drunk but thought I would ask you. Was it running through midi? Was using the keyboard like a hot key?Will all keyboards do this?How do you program the lights to do what you want them to do?How does midi translate to DMX signal? Software? If so what? I'm sure its simple enough but puzzling as ive only ever seen lights run off of a desk which have wheels and settings of which there are non on a keyboard... or are there? Thanks Jerome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wol Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 "Was it running through midi?" - If it was using a standard music keyboard, then most likely yes. There are many pieces of lighting control software which allow you to trigger cues, chases, and other prerecorded stuff via midi commands. Link the MIDI output of the keyboard into the console or PC, the software will then translate those messages into the DMX / artnet output signal to control the lights. "Will all keyboards do this?" - As long as you have a keyboard which can output the correct MIDI commands, or have the software to be able to allow any input command to be mapped to a certain function, then any MIDI keyboard should work. "How does midi translate to DMX signal? Software? If so what?" - Something like the MIDI module from Chamsys along with the MagicQ software and a form of DMX output would be able to do this. "How do you program the lights to do what you want them to do?" - Read the manual of the software / console you're using! Hope this helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerome Posted September 3, 2008 Author Share Posted September 3, 2008 Thanks a lot for the info. Will look into reading more about the software. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niclights Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 ShowCAD is popular with nightclubs and typically controlled by a keyboard. I would hazard a guess this is what they were using. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamtastic3 Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 I would see the set-up as being just like most VJ's out there. You'll find that VJ's tend to not only work from their laptops, but use midi keyboards to get the specific effects straight from a key or groups of layered keys rather than the keys from their laptop or mouse scrolling. It's the same with a lighting set-up where you can have programmed keyboard keys to do specific things such as colours, movement shapes and scene looks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerome Posted September 4, 2008 Author Share Posted September 4, 2008 Ok thanks. whats the typical set-up then PC to Keyboard to lights? what connectors would you use just regualar DMX cables? Never seen a keyboard or PC with DMX connection. Jerome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wol Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 You would have something like: MIDI keyboard > (midi cable) > PC MIDI adapter > PC > (USB Cable) > USB to DMX adapter > DMX Cable > lights To get the DMX signal, google for "USB DMX" and marvel in the amount of results you'll get. Your computer will (should) have a USB connection or Ethernet connection. You can then buy devices to convert USB commands , or network packets into DMX frames to be sent along a DMX cable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bh00 Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Normally you'd use a midi or usb keyboard into the computer - Edirol for instance make USB ones so no need for midi anymore.Software such as ShowCAD then maps keys to various cues and scenes and can get pretty complicated with multiple pages, interlocks, overrides, latches and other things like that.Some sort of USB to DMX adaptor is then used to spit out DMX to the rig. Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gaffa Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Call me old, but didn't this used to be called sound to light ? Based around , bass, mid , treble? ( back in the late 70's). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berry120 Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 Call me old, but didn't this used to be called sound to light ? Based around , bass, mid , treble? ( back in the late 70's). Unless I'm grabbing the wrong end of the stick, no - sound to light is where you've actually got an audio signal going into the desk, and then the lighting desk will filter the bass / mid / treble and can trigger something if the bass / mid / treble is over a certain threshold, i.e. the next step in a chase. It's still used (I still love flashing cyc, just for a moment, everytime the kick drum sounds) but not here. In this situation there's no audio involved at all - the MIDI keyboads output MIDI instructions (not audio) and these are translated directly into DMX. Just think of it like a load of switches in a keyboard format Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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